Westport school board votes to shorten calendar due to snow

By Justin Papp

Updated 4:58 pm, Friday, March 30, 2018

WESTPORT — Due to a string of inclement weather over the past month, the Board of Education voted to shorten the number of instructional days in the calendar year from 182 to the state-mandated minimum 180.

The board first looked at making a change earlier this month after the last of four budgeted-for snow days were used. In an attempt to avoid cutting into the district’s April break, Superintendent of Schools Colleen Palmer elected to shorten the year for students and changed June 25 and 26 into professional development days.

Palmer said she anticipates no more cancellations due to weather.

“I’ve been told by the meteorologist that the angle of incidence of the solar energy at this point in time will melt any snow that comes our way,” Palmer said.

Instead of the six originally planned professional development days, there will be eight.

The last day of school would be June 22. Any additional cancellations would be taken from April break.